In this month’s newsletter, we would like to introduce PhD graduate, Lisa Ann Reid from the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
Lisa’s recently submitted thesis, “Developing a distinct body of knowledge on Nursing Informatics: A mixed-methods study” received outstanding results from the examiners.
We asked Lisa to share what led her to a PhD and why it is important, the most enjoyable and hardest parts of a PhD journey and what the future holds.
Tell us about yourself
I am a (very) matured-aged student at 56 years old and have been nursing since I was 17 years old. I am married to Kevin and have three boys – Mitchell, Harrison and Jackson. I am passionate about education and love my role as a tutor in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
What was the topic of your PhD and why was it important to you?
The underlying topic of my PhD was undergraduate nursing education and preparedness to use digital health technologies. This topic is important to me as a nurse, an educator and a healthcare consumer because digital health technologies improve the safety & efficiency of health care, develop evidence-based practices, and inform health care policy; however, nurses, despite being the largest healthcare workforce, are not being adequately prepared to use these technologies. Therefore, I wanted to explore whether a distinct body of knowledge of nursing informatics could be developed, including operational definitions through consensus and a knowledge map to address current deficits in undergraduate nurse education and continual professional development education for nurses.
Tell us about your research
My original contribution to knowledge was the integration of contemporary literature (scoping review) and the voices of nursing experts (Delphi study) to support understanding of current nursing informatics content in undergraduate nursing education. This provided a snapshot of contemporary nursing informatics understanding and application in undergraduate nursing education and in professional practice. It provided a discussion of enablers, barriers and recommended content for nursing informatics education and the development of digital literacy of all key stakeholders. And it provided recommendations for how these gaps could be addressed to develop workforce readiness and digital competency in both undergraduate nursing students and Registered Nurses.
What led you to undertake a PhD? What inspired or motivated you?
I always had a desire to pursue further education and I was encouraged by my family and fellow educators to apply for a PhD. When considering my phenomenon of interest, I wanted to add to the nursing profession that has given me so much, and to help improve the education of undergraduate nursing students.
When originally conceiving of this research, I wanted to understand how digital health technologies were being integrated into undergraduate nursing education, because in my experience as a university tutor, I saw very little evidence of nursing informatics content. My concern was primarily that the new graduate leaving the university environment would encounter a clinical setting far different from that which was reflected in the current undergraduate nursing curriculum. Therefore, in response to these concerns, my research sought to address this knowledge gap by adding to the body of knowledge on nursing informatics and defining nursing informatics as a field.
What was been one of the most enjoyable parts of the journey?
One of the most enjoyable parts of my PhD journey has been experiencing the kindness and collegiality of other nurses, educators and researchers. I have been humbled by the number of people who have reached out to support and encourage me. My advice for PhD candidates is to surround yourself with support, to reach out to the Office of Graduate Research with any questions and to join professional bodies that focus on your phenomenon of interest.
What was been one of the hardest parts of the journey?
The hardest part of the journey was (in the first year) when my husband Kevin became very unwell. Initially, I thought this meant that I would need to abandon my PhD, but a discussion with Professor Tara Brabazon, my supervisors and my family made me realise that I should continue. I feel so very proud of my determination in completing my PhD and forever grateful for all of the support I have received.
How did you overcome any challenges of doing a PhD?
Challenges during my PhD occurred a number of times. If I was struggling with a particular task, I always had a list of easier tasks to complete. For example, I might spend my time cleaning up and correcting my EndNote library or I might start reading literature to inform the next task. Taking a step away was always helpful and allowed my to return to the challenging task with renewed focus.
When I encountered challenges due to study, working and family life, my focus was on my family and my supervisors encouraged this. This might mean turning off my computer or giving myself “a holiday” from my studies. I remember very early on adopting the mantra – a PhD requires determination and commitment – not brilliance. This helped me focus on the small steps (determination) and doing some writing (almost) every day (commitment).
How did your supervisors support you during your candidature?
I consider the candidate-supervisor relationship is a key factor in the successful completion my PhD. Each of my supervisors have encouraged me to direct the course of my research, to identify gaps in my knowledge and to seek solutions to address these gaps. They have read endless drafts of my work and have kept me on task (when I wanted to go on side quests). Most of all, they have enhanced my self-belief that completing this PhD was realistic and achievable.
What was highlight of your student life at Flinders?
The highlight for me was meeting experts in the field of digital health technologies. In particular, I remember meeting Professor Kerryn Butler-Henderson at a digital health conference; I had read so much of her work and when I approached her, she encouraged me to present at the next conference (which I did). The seminal researchers I have met during my PhD journey have been, without exception, supportive and encouraging and I plan to provide the same level of support to others during their PhD journey.
What advice would you give to those who are about to undertake a PhD?
My advice, to anyone about to undertake a PhD, is to be realistic and realise that certain tasks or processes always take longer than planned; to reach out for help when you need it; to surround yourself with people who believe in you even when you struggle to believe in yourself; and to view your PhD as a learning journey that encompasses your research but so much more. And if there was one other piece of advice I would give is to write, write and write some more, because this writing is instrumental when you start to compile your thesis chapters.
How has your PhD influenced your future career? Where do you see your career heading in the future?
My goal for the future is to seek a permanent position in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences as a lecturer in Nursing. Whilst I have always had a passion for teaching, the past six years of my PhD candidacy has cemented my belief that I can bring my knowledge and passion to the education of our future nurses. It is my hope that my research will not only strengthen undergraduate nursing education but will also pave the way for this next generation to continue building on these foundations.
How has your PhD helped you in the role you are in now?
As a tutor, in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, I have developed my knowledge in key aspects which inform my teaching; these include: Nursing Informatics, digital health technologies, Delphi studies, scoping reviews, statistical analysis, academic writing and critical reflection. Oh and who can forget referencing!!! I am very good at referencing!
What have you been doing since you completed?
Since the successful completion of my PhD, I have started the University Teaching Enhancement at Flinders 2025 course. I have also been working with nurses from around the world, as part of the International Medical Informatics Association – Special Interest Group – Students and Emerging Professionals, in researching digital health technologies and their application to nursing practice.
Have you published anything?
Reid, L., Button, D., & Brommeyer, M. (2023). Challenging the Myth of the Digital Native: A Narrative Review. Nursing Reports, 13(2), 573-600. http://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep13020052
Reid, L., Button, D., Breaden, K., & Brommeyer, M. (2022). Nursing informatics and undergraduate nursing curricula: A scoping review protocol. Nurse Education in Practice, 65, 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2022.103476
Reid, L., Button, D., Breaden, K., & Brommeyer, M. (2024). Nursing Informatics: Competency Challenges for Nursing Faculty. In J. Bichel-Findlay, P. Otero, P. Scott, & E. Huesing (Eds.), MEDINFO 2023 — The Future Is Accessible (Vol. 310, pp. 1196-1200). IOS Press. http://doi.org/10.3233/shti231154
Reid, L., Maeder, A., Button, D., Breaden, K., & Brommeyer, M. (2021). Defining Nursing Informatics: A Narrative Review. In M. Honey, C. Ronquillo, T.-T. Lee, & L. Westbrooke (Eds.), Nurses and Midwives in the Digital Age (Vol. 284, pp. 108-112). http://doi.org/10.3233/shti210680
Block, L. J., Lozada-Perezmitre, E., Cho, H., Davies, S., Lee, J., Lokmic-Tomkins, Z., Peltonen, L. M., Pruinelli, L., Reid, L., Song, J., Topaz, M., von Gerich, H., & Vyas, P. (2023). Representation of Environmental Concepts Associated with Health Impacts in Computer Standardized Clinical Terminologies. Yearbook of Medical Informatics, 32(1), 36-47. 10.1055/s-0043-1768746
Lokmic-Tomkins, Z., Block, L. J., Davies, S., Reid, L., Ronquillo, C. E., von Gerich, H., & Peltonen, L. M. (2023). Evaluating the representation of disaster hazards in SNOMED CT: gaps and opportunities. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 30(11), 1762-1772. http://doi.org/10.1093/jamia/ocad153
Lokmic-Tomkins, Z., Davies, S., Block, L. J., Cochrane, L., Dorin, A., von Gerich, H., Lozada-Perezmitre, E., Reid, L., & Peltonen, L.-M. (2022). Assessing the carbon footprint of digital health interventions: a scoping review. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 29(12), 2128-2139. http://doi.org/10.1093/jamia/ocac196